Capitulation
by Atomix330
Summary: Set from The Blackout; Part 1 - Tragedy Porn. Mac, Charlie and Will are discussing Casey Anthony and then Mac surprises everyone.
1. Chapter 1 - The Lady's Not For Turning

**Capitulation; Chapter One – The Lady's Not For Turning**

_A/N: Hello, welcome to my first Newsroom fanfic. Most of this chapter is taken from dialogue from the episode The Blackout Part I – Tragedy Porn, where Will, Mac and Charlie are discussing Casey Anthony and then Mac does the unexpected. Most of this is dialogue but should be simple enough to follow._

* * *

"_It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies but just as much to stand up to our friends." – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_

* * *

"You're going to cover Casey Anthony." Charlie announced.

"Bullshit we are." Mac exclaimed.

"We have the three-day weekend to gear up for it."

"Charlie."

"Starting Tuesday, you'll lead with her in the A block. Give it 15 minutes and a five-minute reset on the half hour."

"Seriously, I can't tell if you're joking or-"

"Did you just hear those numbers?"

"Yes."

"Half our audience changed the channel in one week."

"I understand."

"Do you?"

"Do I understand math?"

"Do you understand that it's unprecedented?"

"I'm not going to argue with you when Will can do it for me. He's never going to go for this. Tell him."

"Have marketing promo the living shit out of Casey Anthony," said Will simply.

"Oh, my God." Mac was dismayed.

"Rename the show Casey Anthony Night with Casey Anthony," he continued

"Will, hang on."

"Right here on the Casey Anthony Network."

"Mac."

"Because any second I'm going to wake up and be back in a room with Don Quixote and the mission to civilize."

"Listen to me."

"No."

"How many drinks were thrown in your face because you didn't think people should be watching The Real Morons of South Beach or whatever the hell it's called?"

"It's not the same thing."

"It's exactly the same thing. It's just worse. A child is dead. A very troubled young mother either did or didn't murder her. Her parents are waiting to find out if their daughter's going to get the needle. So thank God for TiVo, otherwise we wouldn't be able to sit down"

"It's news."

"Yeah, say that three times and click your heels. It's entertainment. And it's just-just this side of a snuff film."

"Sit down, Mac."

"No, I don't want to sit."

"Do it anyway, please."

"15 at the top, that's a quarter of the show." Mac was outraged.

"Mac."

"And five at the bottom for a reset?"

"Please sit! Think I like it? I know you don't."

"It makes me sick. There isn't enough bourbon in Kentucky."

"Okay? We're in the same place on this."

"So let's be in the same place on this."

"We've had ratings dips before."

"First of all, not like this."

"Nothing like this."

"Second, I want the debate."

"The three of us have talked about a new debate format for months and we're not going to be able to do it if they don't give us a debate."

"I just really"

"They're not going give us a debate if we're in fifth place. I want the debate. I want to fundamentally change the way we interview presidential candidates for their job. If that means we have to be Jerry Springer for a few weeks, I'm willing to pay that price."

"When the going gets tough, the two of you really man up."

"Then go with your principles, Mac."

"Fine I will. You'll have my resignation on your desk in an hour. I'm not going to stand by and see all we have done go to waste."

"Mac-," Will began, shocked at the turn of events.

"No, you can go and cover Casey Anthony all you like. Blitz the hell out of the story, but you won't be doing it with me as your EP."

"Mac, we need the debate."

"No we don't, and we probably won't get it. Why would the RNC give a Republican Primary Debate to the network who just lost half of its viewers overnight?"

"They wouldn't."

"Exactly."

"Mac-"

"I'm resigning. I will not capitulate to the ratings."

"Mac-"

"What was the first point I made when pitching 2.0?"

"Mac-"

"Is this information we need in an election booth?"

"Mac-"

"Casey Anthony is in the grand scheme of things inconsequential to what happens in the mid-terms."

"We need to run Casey Anthony to get the debate which will provide information to the voter in the booth."

"So will every other network that has a debate and once we start covering Casey Anthony we lose our reputation for being a serious news network and fall in the gutter like the rest of them. We lose our integrity."

"Mac, this rating drop gives Leona every right to fire Will." Charlie said desperately.

"Well it won't be any great loss seeing as you both immediately capitulate to the ratings. We were supposed to put what the people need to hear on the air, not what they wanted to hear."

"Every primetime show is doing something about Casey Anthony. We can't compete."

"Well turn if you want to but I'm not turning. Now if you don't mind, I've got an office to clear and a letter of resignation to write."

"She'll come around." Charlie said confidently.

"What if she doesn't?" Will was worried, completely taken aback by the turn of events.

"She'll come around." Charlie reiterated.

* * *

"Mac, what are you doing?" asked Sloan.

"Packing."

"Why?"

"I just resigned."

"What? Why?"

"They want us to cover Casey Anthony. They want to dedicate over a quarter of the show to it and it isn't really newsworthy. Its entertainment."

"Do Will and Charlie know you're resigning?"

"Yeah."

"And you're still resigning."

"Yeah. I'm not going to capitulate to the ratings. I'm going on principle."

"Jim! Get in here will you?"

"What's going on?"

"Short story is that I am taking a break, I won't be here tonight. Look after Will. He wants to lead with Casey Anthony. Try and dissuade him, I'll be back in a couple of days."

"Why is your office packed up?"

"Because my break has a slightly more permanent nature."

"Will fired you?"

"No I resigned."

"Why exactly-"

"It's a long story, one I don't have time for right now. Now, look after him. You know where to call if you want help."

"Mac-"

"You're in charge now. Knock them dead!"

* * *

_Dear Will and Charlie,_

_This is in now in writing. I'm resigning. You know why. I've left Jim in charge but feel free to change things around here. You know my reasons for resigning, I don't think I need to explain them further. Good luck with Newsnight, I wish you all the best._

_Mac._

* * *

"Jim, where's Mac?"

"Gone. She resigned, as I'm sure you already know. The letter is on her desk."

* * *

"Ms. McHale, if I could ask you to stop right there. Charlie Skinner and Will McAvoy want to see you upstairs." Security in the lobby called out.

"Well you can tell Charlie and Will that as of 10:41 this morning, I no longer work for them, neither do I answer to them so I won't be see them." Mac called back over her shoulder as she made her way to the glass doors.

"Ma'am-"

"If they want to get in touch, they know where to find me. And tell them from me; 'good luck with the show because they will need it.'" Mac walked briskly through the door and out on to the busy New York Street outside. She looked back at the ACN and wondered whether she had done the right thing.

* * *

_A/N: Hope you enjoyed. Please leave a review. Until next time..._


	2. Chapter 2 - The Media Circus

**Capitulation; Chapter 2 – The Media Circus**

_A/N: Hello all. I get the impression no-one has ever tried this before so here goes…_

* * *

_It is not easy to stand up against your constituents or your friends or colleagues or your community and take a tough stand for something you believe is right. Because you always want to keep working and live to fight another battle and it might cost you your career. – Caroline Kennedy_

* * *

"OK, as you all know, for reasons beyond my control we are now doing Casey Anthony – fifteen minutes in the A-Block and five at the end." Everyone in the conference room but Will and Sloan groaned.

"Jim, shouldn't Mac be doing this." Neal asked.

"Mac's gone to take a break," Jim replied diplomatically, aware of the fact that Will was in the same room. Sloan either hadn't notice or didn't care.

"She resigned this morning." And there was uproar.

Gary summed up the questioning that had started since Sloan made her shock revelation. "Why?"

Bryan sidled into the room. "Have I missed anything?"

"And you are?" asked Sloan.

"Everyone, this is Bryan Brenner, he's going to be doing something for New York Magazine about us. This is essentially a trial period so everything is off the record." Will had spoken his first words since the meeting began. Bryan nodded.

"Who resigned this morning?" Bryan asked.

"Mac."

"Really?!"

"Yep." Sloan replied.

"Why?"

"Because we're doing Casey Anthony, Mac sees it as capitulating to the ratings. And as a matter of fact I do to."

"And they said things had changed around here and I was meant to write something about the new practices here and all of a sudden your guiding light has resigned?"

"That's about it."

"Well if you excuse me, I've got to make some calls."

* * *

The caller ID wasn't the one she expected. It was Bryan.

"Hello."

"Hey. Mac, I heard you resigned this morning."

"News travels fast."

"It's a newsroom, it's part of the risk taking the job."

"What can I do for you?"

"Will you give me an interview?"

"About what?"

"Why you resigned."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because it isn't relevant to the article. My decision was mine alone. My reasons I expect are already well known." And with that, Mac hung up. Bryan didn't call her back.

* * *

"Sloan Sabbith to see you."

"Show her in."

"Good afternoon Charlie."

"Sloan, what can I do for you? Is it about Mac? She'll come around eventually."

"It's related but it's about me."

"A week ago I was offered a position at JP Morgan and I wasn't going to accept it but in the current circumstances I think I will. I'm resigning as of now."

"Why?"

"Because I came here to inform people, not to rehash what every other network has been pedalling for the last week."

"Sloan-"

"No Charlie, Mac was right. It's a waste of time. Every other network is covering it. It's like primetime news just became a circus. I'm not going to capitulate to the ratings either. At JP Morgan I can do something worthwhile rather than be part of the team which has jumped on the bandwagon late and is trying to catch up in the hope of getting a debate And while I'm doing that I can make a ten times what I'm making downstairs for five minutes a night. I'm sorry, but I've told them I'm happy to start tomorrow."

"Sloan-"

"No, I'm resigning. I'm not in any position to change my mind until you and Will get your heads out of your asses and actually run a show we can all be proud of. Casey Anthony will last what? A couple of weeks? So we dedicate so much time for that that we go and forget about important things, like I don't know, the economy? Or what our government has or hasn't been doing? In reality, Casey Anthony isn't even worth a line on the ticker that rolls across the bottom of the screen! But seriously, you expect me to be part of a show that will subscribe to such rubbish?"

"Sloan, we want the debate. We actually want to change things around here!"

"Well start by continuing to focus on the serious news. You do that and I'll come running but really, you aren't changing anything. ACN is behaving just like every other member of the media circus. You've got no integrity the moment you join them. The moment you dedicate a quarter of an hour of primetime to cover an insignificant subject."

"Sloan-"

"What was it Will said at North-Western?"

"Sloan-"

"He said that at one time America "didn't scare so easily" – Mac was here trying to stop Will getting scared so easily. She's indifferent to ratings. And then all of a sudden the whole program changes course in order to appease our audience? I'm resigning Charlie and the only way you'll stop me is if you can get Mac to come back and let us do a show we are proud of, not some hatchet job. My letter of resignation is already on Will's desk and my office is waiting for its next occupant." And with that, Sloan left the room, leaving a stunned Charlie in her wake.

* * *

"Will! What the _hell_ is going on? Where's your staff?" Charlie was looking at an all but empty newsroom, devoid of staff and their personal effects. Will was sat on chair in the middle of the room, staring at the ceiling with his eyes closed.

"They resigned."

"ALL of them?"

"There's a small pile of resignation letters on my desk."

"So you have no staff."

"Yeah."

"And we go on the air in two days, and we have no staff."

"About right."

"Well are you going to do something about it? Will?"

"What about Elliot and Ten O'clock?"

"In a conference room down the hall. They all scuttled away for some reason."

"Well I guess you aren't the most approachable person in the world right now."

"No. As Don said, I'm a smart talented guy, who isn't very nice. But hey, look on the bright side, everyone in the control room stayed." Will said sarcastically.

"I'm getting Don."

"I don't need Don, I don't need an EP. We can dedicate the whole of the show to Casey Anthony with a little bit of real news and let the graphics speak for themselves."

"I'm going to get Don and his staff to work for both you and Elliot and then we can work on getting you a new staff."

* * *

"Mac?"

"Oh, Sloan! Hi!"

"Mac, I resigned."

"What!?"

"I resigned, and so did the rest of the newsroom." Mac had to sit down after hearing that.

"Why?"

"Because you were right and Will was wrong."

"Sloan you've got to get back there, he's going to go into meltdown."

"No, Mac I don't want to be part of a show which feels that a small murder case in Florida more important than the US debt ceiling. I came to News Night to work with you and Will to change television and now it's pretty clear that Will wants television to stay the same just so he can get what he wants out of it. And the staff think so to, that's why we all followed you and resigned."

"Sloan, he's going to be completely lost."

"Do you owe him anything?"

"What?" Mac was taken aback at the new line of questioning.

"Do you owe him anything? You cheated on him years ago. Big deal. Do you owe him anything? Because right now I'm not even sure you should worry about Will or Charlie or the rest of ACN."

"No, of course I don't owe him anything. And well maybe that's why I've resigned, because I'm tired of his efforts to punish or belittle me at every opportunity."

"Good, I don't you think owe him anything."

"Did you know, he gave back $3m from his contract to ACN just so he could have the ability to fire me at the end of every week?"

"No I didn't."

"Well do you know what, maybe I just thought that I'd save him the time and effort and just resign and actually, thinking about it, it gives me an opportunity to decide what I want to do with my life. For the first time in over a decade, my life doesn't revolve around Will McAvoy."

* * *

_A/N: So what will Mac do next? And what about Will at ACN? Will they get back together? It's not looking likely. Please follow and review! Until next time…_


	3. Chapter 3 - Who said we had to be on TV?

**Capitulation; Chapter 3 – Who said we had to be on TV?**

* * *

_A/N: People actually read this? Wow! So here's another instalment of this story._

* * *

"_If something is expensive to develop, and somebody's not going to get paid, it won't get developed. So you decide: Do you want software to be written, or not?__" – Bill Gates_

* * *

Mac and the others didn't believe the show they watched that last night. Will McAvoy, the Jay Leno of news anchors was back in business, but the overnight viewing figures didn't change, in fact they dropped even further. It was if the ones who expected serious news had also abandoned News Night in disgust at the fact that the entire show was dedicated to Casey Anthony, all except a small 10 minute section of world news. Mac was almost disappointed that Will hadn't took the hint. The others were just disappointed.

Then she realised that she was in an apartment full of people who didn't have a job to go to the next morning. And then she had an idea. She wanted to do a good news show, but who said the news show had to be on TV? Half the news tips came from the internet. Why shouldn't news be presented on the internet as it was on television? Not a stream for a television channel, but a television channel online. Combine it with news articles to accompany the stories discussed, and you have a news website on par with the Huffington Post. It seemed like a good idea, despite the amount of alcohol she had consumed. So she pitched it.

* * *

"OK, listen up. Question 1, who isn't financially secure after leaving their job?" About half present raised their hands.

"Question 2; who will be willing to support those who are going to be in trouble if they don't get a job soon?" About a quarter of the ex-staff present raised their hands.

"OK, everyone who is financially secure and can look after another raise their hands." About a third of the staff raised their hands.

"Those who can support someone else, go and do it." Two thirds of the room paired up and moved aside. "Right from the remainder, who can only support themselves?" Half the remainder raised their hands. "So the rest of you will need a job pretty soon, or you won't be able to survive in this city?" The half a dozen remaining nodded. "There's six of you, I've got some space, in a big brownstone my family have over in Queens."

"Mac, we couldn't-" but Mac waved Maggie off.

"Yes you could, it's either that or you would have to work in McDonald's or similar... But, it does get me to my next point; Will said to me that we couldn't have a good news show on TV and make it successful at the same time. And I agree with him, and before you start arguing with me, despite his faults, McAvoy is right and what we've seen and watched today only prove it. However, who said that a good news show had to be on TV in the first place?"

"Mac, what do you mean?" asked Neal.

"Anyone heard of the concept called the internet? Why not put the show we want to run online? We can have rolling news, along with articles discussing the topics we are talking about."

"We'll have to start slowly, maybe just some articles and a regular primetime webcast but we can expand," Jim said as he got on Mac's wavelength, Mac was nodding in agreement.

"But we'll end up with something to rival sites like the Huffington Post and even regular news sites like CNN and the New York Times."

"Exactly."

"So who is with me?" almost everyone raised their hands. "And who needs convincing?"

"How long is preparation going to take and how are we going to pay for it?" asked Gary.

"Well, I have got a quite substantial inheritance from my late aunt before I came here, and my allowance to pay for some of it, I've got some friends from Cambridge who are willing to work for free."

"If you don't mind me asking, just how much are we talking about?" asked Sloan.

"About $5 million." Mac said casually.

"Then why the fuck are you here?" Sloan and everyone else was astonished.

"I wanted to make a good news show. Now I can." Mac said simply, shrugging as she did so. "How else would I afford $750 Louboutins? And if we need more, I can always sell this apartment which I own outright or ask Daddy for a loan. But what matters is, this is where I want to put the money, otherwise it will just sit in a bank account for decades, I might as well use it and I don't really care if I lose it. The point is, we can be successful. We can work as a team and put together a great news show, and we won't be constricted by a network or by a company who requires the ad revenue. If we are good, we may even be able to drop ads all together. All we need to do is go out and do the news, the way we want to do it, and the way the American people need to see it." And there was a smattering of applause, the staff had great respect for her. She wasn't only putting forward a radical idea but she was putting her money where her mouth was and wasn't beating her chest about it. She also wasn't afraid of failure.

"And if we lose, well at least we tried something that nobody has ever done before, and if we fail, we will have had a great time doing so!" said Sloan.

"But first we need a name. Any ideas?" asked Jim.

"NewsWeb?"

"NewsNet?"

"NewsCast?"

"MacNews?" Mac chuckled at that one.

"CNW; Central News Web?"

"How about; 'The Newsroom?'" suggested Maggie.

"I like that," concurred Neal. "It's where we've all come from, it's what we want to create."

"Our own little room on the web, devoted to news." Jim said.

"Any other suggestions?" Mac's question was greeted with silence. "OK then, this little project now has a working title…"

* * *

After that, they kept discussing their plans for the future and gradually started drifting out of Mac's apartment with Mac giving Maggie the keys for the brownstone in Queens. "There's plenty of space, just make sure that you leave it as you found it and leave some space for anyone else." She warned the young ex-associate producer.

Mac's cell phone rang as she was having a final glass of wine. It was Will. She didn't want to talk to him so she tapped the red button marked 'Decline'. Then she went an ordered a seat in business class on a British Airways flight from JFK to London Heathrow for the following afternoon and headed for bed.

* * *

_A/N: So what do you think? I quite liked some of this, it was very neat. Please leave a review be it praise, criticism, analysis or corrections, even feel free to leave some ideas for where this goes next. There's a nice shiny box down there, use it. Until next time._


	4. Chapter 4 - Going Live

**Capitulation; Chapter 4 – Going Live**

_A/N: Here we are, going live… (The bulk of this is dialogue from the 112__th__ Congress)_

* * *

**Wednesday 1****st**** February 2012; The Newsroom Studios, New York, (20:00 EST/00:00 GMT)**

"In four, three, two, one. Roll-in."

"_I welcome these hearings because of the opportunity that they provide to the American people to better understand why the tragedy of 9/11 happened and what we must do to prevent a reoccurrence. I also welcome the hearings because it is finally a forum where I can apologize to the loved ones of the victims of 9/11. To them who are here in the room, to those who are watching on television, your government failed you. Those entrusted with protecting you failed you. And I failed you."_

_Good evening. I'm Will McAvoy. This is News Night, and that was a clip of Richard Clarke, former counterterrorism chief to President George W. Bush, testifying before Congress on March 24, 2004. Americans liked that moment. I liked that moment. Adults should hold themselves accountable for failure. And so tonight I'm beginning this newscast by joining Mr Clarke in apologizing to the American people for our failure. The failure of this program during the time I've been in charge of it to successfully inform and educate the American electorate. _

_Let me be clear that I don't apologize on behalf of all broadcast journalists, nor do all broadcast journalists owe an apology. I speak for myself. I was an accomplice to a slow and repeated and unacknowledged and unamended train wreck of failures that have brought us to now. I'm a leader in an industry that miscalled election results, hyped up terror scares, ginned up controversy, and failed to report on tectonic shifts in our country. _

_From the collapse of the financial system to the truths about how strong we are to the dangers we actually face. I'm a leader in an industry that misdirected your attention with the dexterity of Harry Houdini while sending hundreds of thousands of our bravest young men and women off to war without due diligence. The reason we failed isn't a mystery. We took a dive for the ratings._

_In the infancy of mass communications, the Columbus and Magellan of broadcast journalism, William Paley and David Sarnoff, went down to Washington to cut a deal with Congress. Congress would allow the fledgling networks free use of taxpayer-owned airwaves in exchange for one public service. That public service would be one hour of air time set aside every night for informational broadcasting, or what we now call the evening news. Congress, unable to anticipate the enormous capacity television would have to deliver consumers to advertisers, failed to include in its deal the one requirement that would have changed our national discourse immeasurably for the better. _

_Congress forgot to add that under no circumstances could there be paid advertising during informational broadcasting. They forgot to say that taxpayers will give you the airwaves for free and for 23 hours a day you should make a profit, but for one hour a night you work for us. And now those network newscasts, anchored through history by honest-to-God newsmen with names like Murrow and Reasoner and Huntley and Brinkley and Buckley and Cronkite and Rather and Russert- Now they have to compete with the likes of me. A cable anchor who's in the exact same business as the producers of Jersey Shore. _

_And that business was good to us, but News Night is quitting that business right now. It might come as a surprise to you that some of history's greatest American journalists are working right now, exceptional minds with years of experience and an unshakeable devotion to reporting the news. But these voices are a small minority now and they don't stand a chance against the circus when the circus comes to town. They're overmatched. I'm quitting the circus and switching teams. I'm going with the guys who are getting creamed. I'm moved that they still think they can win and I hope they can teach me a thing or two. _

_From this moment on, we'll be deciding what goes on our air and how it's presented to you based on the simple truth that nothing is more important to a democracy than a well-informed electorate. We'll endeavour to put information in a broader context because we know that very little news is born at the moment it comes across our wire. We'll be the champion of facts and the mortal enemy of innuendo, speculation, hyperbole, and nonsense. We're not waiters in a restaurant serving you the stories you asked for just the way you like them prepared. Nor are we computers dispensing only the facts because news is only useful in the context of humanity. I'll make no effort to subdue my personal opinions. I will make every effort to expose you to informed opinions that are different from my own. _

_You may ask who are we, to make these decisions. We are Mackenzie McHale and myself. Ms. McHale is our executive producer. She marshals the resources of over 100 reporters, producers, analysts, technicians, and her credentials are readily available. I'm News Night's managing editor and make the final decision on everything seen and heard on this program. Who are we to make these decisions? We're the media elite. We'll be back after this with the news."_

* * *

"Good Evening, and welcome to the inaugural broadcast of The Newsroom live from New York City. I'm Mackenzie McHale. What you've just watched is an on air apology from Will McAvoy, presenter and managing editor of ACN News Night broadcast on Monday, April 26th 2010. Mr McAvoy was apologising for failing to inform the American electorate.

I liked that moment, I helped put that moment on the air. So you can imagine my disappointment when almost exactly 13 months later, this same program broadcast this;"

"_Tomorrow we'll be bringing you all the highlights from day seven of the trial and Detective Yuri Melich, the first officer to interview Casey Anthony in 2008."_

"Would it interest you to know to know that for most of the week, the biggest story primetime news across America broadcast was the Casey Anthony Trial. That same week there was a vote in Congress on whether to raise the debt ceiling. On News Night that week, Casey Anthony received 285 minutes of air time. By contrast, the debt ceiling story received only 4.

Now why am I talking about this? I'm talking about this because myself and The Newsroom team have seen this and have decided to change things. We would first like to apologise to the American people for allowing News Night to renege on its promise and instead of being unique, just re-join the media circus.

However the News Night travesty has proven beneficial to you the viewer and to us the broadcaster. For the first time, myself and The Newsroom team are going to put a free twenty four hour news show on the World Wide Web. We'll broadcast twenty four hours a day, seven days a week from our studios here in New York and from London. Our team of experienced men and women on six continents are going to present to you the facts and the information behind those facts. At the same we'll produce articles and put the facts on your screen.

But first, there is something we want to make clear; we won't do a McAvoy. We won't change our output to suit the viewer. This is a news site, not TMZ. We are producing a news show, not reality television. We are here to inform you the viewer of what is happening in the world today. It doesn't mean we don't want to hear you though. In addition our website will contain a public forum where you can voice your own opinions and discuss the issues that affect you. We want to add you to the global conversation. It doesn't matter where you are, from New York to New Dehli, from Beijing to Baltimore and from London to Los Angeles, your voice matters.

It's now seven minutes past midnight GMT or 8:07 PM eastern. We'll be back with today's top stories right after this."

"We're out, back in two minutes, thirty."

* * *

**Wednesday 1****st**** February 2012; ACN Tower, New York, (20:18 EST/00:18 GMT)**

"Thank you Congresswoman, we'll be back after this."

"_Back in three…"_

"Will, I know what this website called The Newsroom is about now," called Charlie.

"Is that the one with the massive advertising campaign but the site has nothing but a countdown timer and an empty chair with the words "Coming Soon" written on it?"

"Not any more. Their site went live 20 minutes ago. I guess Mac is finally showing us what she's been doing for the last nine months."

"How bad is it?"

"Bad, we got lambasted by her within the first few minutes. It looks like she wants to create a news channel online."

"I'll take a look at it when we are done."

* * *

"Can we sue her Mom?"

"We'd lose, the clips she used were in the public domain, Reese. We'd just look worse than we already are. Call Charlie and Will and tell them I want them up her as soon as is physically possible."

* * *

_A/N: Please leave a review._


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